Trust
by Jordgubbe
Summary: To a bystander Iruka's and Mizuki’s relationship is something to look up to and envy but they’re not able to hide the truth from the prying eyes of one Jounin. Can said Jounin save Iruka before it is too late? KakaIru. Abusive relationship.
1. Mistakes

Title - Trust

**Title** - Trust

**Author** - Jordgubbe

**Pairing**– Mizuki/Iruka and eventually Kakashi / Iruka

**Notes** – This is a work of fiction, which means that I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form. This is placed in a slightly AU setting as Mizuki never tricked Naruto to steal the forbidden scroll. Instead he continued to work side by side with Iruka and a romance blossomed between the two men. The first chapter has been rewritten slightly so if you've read this before please do so again.

**Warnings** - This story deals with the subject of abusive relationships. If you're uncomfortable with the subject I suggest you stay away from this fanfiction.

Trust – Chapter one "Mistakes"

Iruka stood facing the dirty mirror; a sigh escaping the dry lips. He shifted his gaze from the narrow bathroom stalls behind him and onto his scruffy appearance. His hair was as always tied into a tight knot onto the back of his head but it had lost its shine and smoothness a long time ago. He let his right hand travel up to his dark brown hair to pull out the red hair band. The hair fell loosely around his face, framing it with small curls at the ends.

_It's gotten longer_, he noted. Not really wanting to think about how he used to glow and seem so alive in whatever he did and how much of that happiness that had escaped him, he quickly averted his eyes from the mirror.

The door creaked open and a man with a rough looking face stepped inside. It was just not his face that seemed rough, the man was huge and made Iruka feel ill at ease. Not wanting to be a bother, Iruka hurriedly put back his hair in its usual hairdo and stepped away from the mirror. The man with the rough looking face nodded in his direction as to acknowledge Iruka's presence before slipping rather ungraciously into one of the narrow stalls. Seeing this as his cue he cast a vary glance in the direction of the occupied stall and stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind him.

Suddenly a strong arm sneaked its way around his neck. "Iruka, my dear friend… What did you do in there?" Kotetzu motioned towards the bathroom with his free hand and Iruka could feel the alcohol on his breath. The putrid smell nearly made him gag where he stood. When Iruka had taken his escape to the men's room, Kotetzu had still been sober.

The other man wobbled unsteadily on his feet and pressed more of his body weight onto Iruka as he leaned in, his mouth exhaling right next to Iruka's ear slurring the next words that left his mouth. "The blond waitress is a fine hottie Iruka-boy. I swear I'd nail her anytime…"

A drunken wave in the direction of said person and Iruka had had enough. He started dragging Kotetzu back to their table and as they slipped into their seats, Izumo gave both of them a warm smile. It lingered on Kotetzu a bit longer than on Iruka. "I hope you don't mind but I ordered one more drink for you." Izumo turned his attention back to the kindhearted teacher and pushed a blue drink toward him. "Don't worry, it's all on me since I ordered it and all".

"Oh, thank you," Iruka said and made a show of sipping his drink as Izumo's piercing gaze studied him. Truth be told – Iruka didn't really want to drink any more alcohol. He had already had one drink before he went to the men's room and he had promised Mizuki not to drink any at all. He hated to break his promises but Izumo and Kotetzu had nagged calling him boring and prudish until he had finally ordered a drink for himself.

He took another sip as Kotetzu, to Izumo's dismay, started talking about the blond waitress whom was currently taking orders from the table next to theirs. He figured that one drink wouldn't do much harm, he had after all some pastilles with him to help cover up the smell, pastilles that he was sure to force down Kotetzu's throat before the evening was over. Which wouldn't be a hard task as Kotetzu had trouble sitting straight in the chair next to him.

Izumo fingered his drink slowly while casting a glance at Kotetzu, probably to make sure that he wasn't going to fall over. "Hey guys, what do you say about going to the movies sometime. It was a while ago, wasn't it?"

Kotetzu took a swig from his drink and stared rather cross-eyed at Izumo. "The movies?"

"Sounds like a wonderful idea but I don't think that there's anything good playing right now. Do you have a specific movie in mind?" Iruka tried to remember the last time he had checked the 'soon to come' poster outside the movie theater and he couldn't come up with any good suggestions.

"Yeah, actually I do. I can't remember the name but it's an action movie about a guy that has to protect the children of his village, only that he isn't a ninja but a farmer."

Kotetzu snorted into his drink and Iruka agreed with his drunken companion. The movie didn't seem so good but he wasn't going to say that to Izumo's face, not when he looked so animated.

"No. No way…" Kotetzu protested and Iruka sent a silent thanks to his friend.

"Humph. You have no sense when it comes to movies. What's so wrong with action movies? Huh?" Izumo glared from Iruka to Kotetzu as to dare them to say anything insulting.

"Nothing at all… Nothing is wrong with action movies its just that the farmer movie doesn't sound so good..." Iruka really didn't want to start a fight, especially not over something so silly as to what movie to watch.

"Oh, so that's it. You! You farmer racist!" Izumo glared daggers.

"What? No… There's nothing wrong with farmer's either-"

"Damn right there isn't".

Iruka was quite speechless and Kotetzu was hardly going to be of any help. "Izumo… What is it? I don't think you would get so agitated just because we have a different opinion in movies."

"You know… You're never around any longer, only spending time with that Mizuki," Izumo avoided Iruka's gaze. "And when you're finally spending time with us Mizuki always tags along. We can never be just alone with you. He's like… Overprotective."

"Yeah…" Kotetzu agreed where he sat, still sipping his drink but spilling quite a lot over himself as he did so. Neither Iruka nor Izumo moved to help him.

The brown-haired teacher could feel his cheeks burning. "Oh… Eh… You know I don't think that's right. We're out drinking now aren't we and Mizuki isn't around. Right? Yes?"

"Yeah well… It's the first time in months Iruka. Months. I'm telling you… It's not healthy."

"I really don't want to have this discussion right now" _Or ever again…_ He silently thought. So what if Mizuki was a little overbearing sometimes? Everyone had his or her faults. No one was perfect although Mizuki came pretty close with his gorgeous soft hair and strong arms. "I'm getting another drink… Do you want one as well?" He desperately needed to change the subject before Izumo started yelling, like last time.

"Sure… Just don't get anything for Kotetzu." Izumo seemed to let the subject go and Iruka bustled to get the drinks before he could change his mind.

X

X

A few drinks and another bathroom visit later, Iruka found himself outside the door to his apartment. His hand slid from the handle to the keyhole, having far more trouble getting the key in. Imagine that it was so hard; he was never going to laugh at Kotetzu again. Missing with several centimeters and wobbling where he stood he figured he was as bad as his alcohol loving friend, or at least, he could be as bad as him. Sometimes.

As Izumo and Kotetzu lived on the other side of town Iruka had had to struggle home alone, barley managing to keep himself from falling over and he had earned himself a few worried glances from some civilians. Those impolite staring civilians wasn't around any longer after he had shouted obscenities at them, so there was no one around he could ask for help.

After a few tries he actually managed to get the key in and he gently pushed the door open. The messy hallway was the first thing he saw. A jacket lay on the floor on top of the shoes. _It must have fallen down when I went out_, he though to himself before bending over and picking it up. He almost tripped over his own feet as he did so but he needed to hang it up. Mizuki didn't like an unclean apartment. It was quiet, a little too quiet for Iruka's likening. He couldn't hear Mizuki's snores, which meant he wasn't there. _Must have gotten home to his own apartment._

He stumbled into the living room after taking the shoes of which turned out to be harder than he though. Suddenly someone pushed him in the back, making him topple over. He fell to the floor before he could regain his balance, landing on his elbow rather hard. Turning towards his attacker he could see Mizuki standing before him with has arms crossed. A scowl was set upon his face and his eyes had gone cold, there was something terrifying about his posture that made Iruka cringe.

"What did you do that for?" Iruka slurred and glanced at him with watering eyes, his elbow stung and he clutched at it with his other hand.

"Are you stupid? I though we had planned to have dinner together so I went over here to your apartment only to find it empty. I waited here for you but you never showed up," Mizuki sneered and kicked the nearby sofa. "From the looks of it, you've been out drinking with your friends. Again I might add. Forgetting all about little old me. You're so fucking selfish you know that? You only think of yourself."

Iruka flinched and stared at the carpet not wanting to anger Mizuki further. "Was that today?" The words came out slurred and Iruka found it hard to think.

"Yes that was fucking today! We planned it together, I mean how stupid do you have to be to forget something like that?" The words stung.

"I'm sorry… but when Izumo called I though we could do something. Just the three of us since I have been spending a lot of time with you lately, I never see them anymore you know." He thought he had a valid explanation, Mizuki however didn't.

"So you'd rather spend time with your friends than me, is that it?" Mizuki bent down on his knees so that he was at the same eye level as Iruka. "Look at me when I fucking talk to you!" he roared.

"I'm sorry okay! It was stupid of me to go out with them, it won't happen again I promise…" His eyes started to sting and he just wanted to wipe the tears away before Mizuki saw them, before he saw how weak he was. He sniffled as he sat there. "Forgive me…?"

"Forgive you? Forgive you! After what you've done to me?"

Stricken with guilt Iruka started pleading and begging until Mizuki finally gave in.

"Iruka," He said softly, changing his expression, smiling brightly at the younger ninja. "I was so worried something had happened to you. I came home here and I couldn't find you, I swear I was so worried". Wrapping Iruka in his arms he cradled him while Iruka cried. Planting soft kissed on top of his head he continued, "I love you and I don't want to be mad at you but you just don't give me a choice, you understand that right?"

Iruka sniffed and nodded. "I'm sorry I'm stupid. It won't happen again I swear…"

An odd yet satisfied expression crossed Mizuki's features. "Iruka… Calm down honey, you know I love you."

"I love you too," Iruka answered meaning every word he said, letting himself be comforted by Mizuki. Mizuki always made things right again.

X

X

Iruka ended up sleeping on the sofa and when he woke the next morning his head throbbed painfully and he noticed that he had gotten a bruise on his elbow from last night. Mizuki lay in Iruka's bed, sleeping quietly, chest rising peacefully. He looked so stunning, wrapped in Iruka's bedding.

He stood there perplexed, watching his chest rise and fall a couple of times before he promised himself not to anger Mizuki any more. Mizuki was his all, loving him when no one else would. He was the only one who understood him and didn't judge for who he were.

Smiling to himself Iruka pulled the blue blanket higher up on Mizuki, tucking him in. He was careful not wake the other man up as he had quite the temper in the mornings. Mizuki stirred but he didn't wake up and Iruka hurried himself to do all his morning chores before walking to work.

The few people that he had greeted happily each morning as he went to work, never bothered to pay him any attention anymore and Iruka did his best to ignore them as they smiled at each other and held small hurriedly conversations.

Entering the schoolyard he could see Konohamaru sit with his lackeys in the playground, whispering excitedly to each other, probably up to no good as always.

"Iruka! Good to see you, how are you doing?" One of the other teachers called out to him, taking his mind of the three brats.

"I'm doing just fine thank you, and yourself?" It was only polite to answer when he was asked a direct question. Truth be told, he didn't feel fine. Drinking the night before work was never a good idea and his elbow was still sore after that fall.

"Ah, no problems here. Those little brats haven't gotten to me yet…" He laughed and waved before walking into his classroom.

Iruka was left feeling brushed of which was quite odd of him. He sighed and pushed his classroom door open, thinking there was no idea in dwelling about the past.

Summer vacation had just ended and the students were still lazy and maybe a little out of practice. There was no booby trap waiting for him today, no nasty surprise by the little children. They often did it to spite their teachers but Iruka enjoyed to disarm them. They students could practice their booby-trapping skills and Iruka could evaluate their progress. It worked out just fine. The classroom looked exactly as it did when he had left it. _Some things never change, eh?_

"Iruka!" Naruto leaned against the doorway, a huge smile plastered on his face. The years had been kind to Naruto; he had grown more confident and stronger.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Naruto was the last person Iruka had thought would turn up at his classroom again. Especially after all his efforts of escaping it. "Class will start in a minute…"

"Oh," the blond boy actually looked slightly hurt before he flashed Iruka a smile again. "I just wanted to see you before my mission. Won't be home for a couple of days, you know?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to snap, I've just been really stress-" Iruka felt bad. Naruto had just wanted to say goodbye and here he had been awful towards the boy. He really was stupid sometimes.

"It's all right… Hey, where did you get that mark from?" Naruto's eyes were focused on Iruka's elbow so the teacher knew immediately what he was talking about.

"I stumbled last night," no idea to lie to Naruto. He would only find out the truth anyway, but Iruka could disclose some information from him. "And hurt my elbow a little, but it's all right now."

"Stumbled? Ninjas don't stumble! Especially not you." Naruto crossed his arms and glared. Hard.

"If they are really tired they do, now don't you have to meet your team for that mission?" The brown haired teacher sighed.

"Oh right. Forgot about that. I'll be back later when I've busted those bastards asses!"

"Naruto, language."

"Yeah, yeah… Whatever." With that Naruto turned around and started walking out the door. "See you later Iruka!" And with that he was gone.

"I'll buy you ramen," Iruka said to an empty classroom letting his hands fall to his sides.

X

X

"Konohamaru!" Iruka yelled for what must have been the fifth time that day. "Sit down this instance and be quiet and Kouji, don't think I don't see you so stop putting gum in Megumi's hair."

"Yes sensei," the boys said in union before sinking down in their seats, Konohamaru whispering to his bench partner while Kouji crossed his arms and started pouting. Iruka sighed.

"Now turn to page 25 and read the-" A sudden knock on the classroom door interrupted Iruka and when the door swung open Iruka was ready to lash out at whoever walked in. He stopped dead in his track though when he saw the person. "Mizuki-sensei, how nice of you to join us…"

"Yo, Iruka. Aren't you going to end your class soon?"

The students cheered at that and Iruka knew Mizuki did that on purpose. The entire staff knew that Iruka had the wildest class, that including Mizuki. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't let his class go early since they weren't finished yet but that would mean crossing Mizuki. Crossing Mizuki would be a bad idea since he would get mad. But then again, loosing face in front of the students was also bad.

"Ah, how nice of you to remind me that I was going to let the students go early today. All right students! Read page 25 and answer the questions until next time. That will be your homework. That's all for today." Before he had finished speaking the classroom had gone empty except those two teachers.

"Now why did you let them go? You ruined my fun." Mizuki smirked and raised an eyebrow when Iruka glared at him. When Iruka didn't answer Mizuki continued, "Oh, by the way, we can't go out to that restaurant I told you about so you have to cook today."

"Why not?" Iruka had looked forward to the new restaurant and Mizuki had even promised to pay for the check.

"Eh, someone messed up the reservations." It was obviously a lie but Iruka didn't dare say anything aloud. "But there's no problem if you cook right? You like to cook don't you?"

"No there's no problem… But I have to go grocery shopping."

"All right then. I'll head home and you can go get the stuff you need. You have money on you don't you?" Mizuki stepped closer and gave Iruka a soft kiss on the cheek. "You smell good…"

"Mizuki get of" Iruka snapped and pushed at the silver haired man. They shouldn't be doing this at school. What if one of the teachers saw them? Or worse, what if a student did?

"Fine… I'll hold myself until you get home." And with that Mizuki turned and stalked out of the classroom, leaving Iruka to feel worse than he already did.

X

X

"How dare you," Mizuki growled. Mizuki slowly stood up and stalked towards Iruka. Two steps away he stopped and clenched his fists. Mizuki often did missions while Iruka only worked at the academy and the mission office, thus Mizuki being much more experience than Iruka in hand-to-hand combat. On top of that, Iruka was also out of practice. He didn't stand a chance.

Mizuki reached out and gave Iruka a hard slap across the face, which made the brown haired teacher take a step back. Mizuki lashed out again before Iruka could react, this time with a straight punch that hit Iruka directly on the left eye. It hurt so bad Iruka knew it was going to bruise.

"How dare you burn our dinner you stupid bitch," Mizuki growled before giving Iruka the finishing blow to the stomach. Iruka sank down on the floor, not caring if Mizuki hit him as long as other people couldn't tell. A punch to the face was visible for everyone to see while a punch toward his stomach or arms could be hidden behind his clothes.

"I'm sorry! Just don't hit me… Please it hurts," Mizuki liked it when he begged. Iruka took a deep breath before looking up at Mizuki. "Not the face Mizuki, not the face!" he screamed as Mizuki kicked out at him.

"Not the face eh? Why not? Think it's already ugly as it is with that scar you have? Or are you afraid that people are going to know that you're weak? That you are unable to defend yourself? You're the most pathetic excuse for a ninja I've ever seen," Mizuki laughed and spat at the sobbing heap on the floor.

"No…" Iruka moaned weakly from the floor even though he knew that he was. Mizuki was always right. Mizuki was the smart one, the strong one, and the one that always knew what to do. Frankly Iruka had wondered for a while what someone like Mizuki saw in Iruka.

Mizuki breathed hard while he studied Iruka on the floor. "Fuck, I hit your face." Mizuki let his fingers run through his hair while he though. "Let me see how it looks like." He reached out and Iruka flinched. "Hey baby, don't flinch. I'm not going to hurt you… I'm not mad anymore, all right? I've just gotta see the damage to your eye." This time Iruka let Mizuki touch him; he let Mizuki lift his head and he didn't flinch when Mizuki narrowed his eyes at the black eye. Although it took all his willpower not to do so.

"I'm sorry I burned dinner…"

"It's all right now. It's okay. Just sit still and I'll try and heal your eye for you. It will hurt a bit but it will be over real quick, okay?"

Mizuki was right. It stringed but Iruka sat still; he didn't dare to move again since it would probably upset Mizuki.

After Mizuki had healed his eye, he left the apartment to get himself something to eat while Iruka cleaned the burnt dinner away. Mizuki wasn't very skilled at medical jutsu so Iruka still had a black eye, but a very faint one. If he applied some foundation on it the bruise was hardly noticeable. If he could get away with just a few punches and a hungry stomach that was just fine. Mizuki was going to be in a better mood when he got home anyway.

The phone rang and Iruka jumped. Feeling silly about his nerves he hurried to the living room and answered with a small voice.

"Hey, Iruka is that you? You sound strange, is everything all right?"

"Hey Izumo, yeah, every thing's just fine. I uh… am starting to get a cold. Yeah, a cold. Feeling a bit funny in the throat." Iruka could feel his eyes start to water. What of Izumo knew? Would he still be friends with Iruka if he knew what a weak person he was?

"A cold, eh? All right listen… Me and Kotetzu are heading out for a short mission and I was wondering if you could water my plants?"

"You want me to water your plants? All right, I can do that…." Iruka let out a breath as he sank down on the sofa.

That was a pause on the other side of the line. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Iruka threw in a fake cough just for good measures.

"Cold doesn't sound fine. I'll call Aoba instead and ask him to take care of the plants. You just rest…"

"Oh, okay." It was funny that Iruka was the one feeling hurt when it was he who had lied.

"You just rest and promise to drink lots of water? I have to go now. Bye!"

"Promise, bye." The line broke but Iruka sat on the sofa with the phone against his ear for several minutes before he moved again.

X

X

Naruto strolled towards Sasuke, balancing the wood he had found in his arms. Kakashi sensei had told him to gather some for the fire. The mission had been a success and team 7 was on their way back to Konoha, however, Kakashi had agreed to take a quick brake so that they could get something to eat. Naruto glared at Sasuke as he walked up to him, the stupid raven just had to show of in front of Sakura, making the pink haired beauty admire him even more than before.

"Such a showoff," he murmured to himself.

"What was that? You know talking to yourself is the first step towards insanity…" Sasuke retorted. Smirking where he sat on the ground.

"Boys, knock it off" Kakashi told them as he rummaged through his own bag, obviously looking for something. He was sitting on his heels a few meters away from them; his back turned towards the boys.

"Here's the wood," Naruto said to Sasuke when he gave him the wood. An awkward moment followed where none of the boys said anything. "So… wanna train some when we get back?"

"I'm going to train yes. Not with you though."

"Bastard."

"What did I just say? Knock it of."

It was going to be one of those days today. Naruto took his backpack and moved to a place where he could sit in the shadow but still see the whole 'camp' of theirs. The grass felt soft under his fingers and he let his mind wander. He had been worried lately, not just that Sakura seemed to like Sasuke even more lately but Iruka-sensei was also acting weird.

What if some strong ninja was giving him trouble? It would explain the strange bruises. Naruto knew that Iruka was just an academy teacher and that there were a lot of stronger ninjas in the village. But who would want to hurt Iruka? It just didn't make any sense. And why didn't he just go to the Hokage for help? Maybe someone was blackmailing him?

"Kakashi-sensei, I need to talk to you!" He called out, drawing the other attention to himself as well. Both Sakura and Sasuke looked up from what they were doing and Kakashi visibly sighed. Their leader grabbed his backpack and moved towards Naruto.

"I hope it's important kiddo," he shouted back.

"I think so yeah…" Naruto answered wanting neither Sasuke nor Sakura to know about the whole ordeal. Kakashi, not knowing what to make out of that answer just walked the rest of the bit to Naruto in silence.

"Okay, what's up?"

"It's about Iruka-sensei…"

"What about him?"

"He's been acting strange lately and yesterday he had this bruise on his elbow, he said he got it when he stumbled. I mean what?! A ninja doesn't stumble… and it's not the first time either that he has had these strange bruises and-"

"Okay, okay… Calm down," Kakashi motioned towards Naruto. "You're saying someone might be hurting him?"

"I think so yeah, he doesn't say anything but it's obvious that something must be wrong."

"I'll look into it when we get back to Konoha, okay?"

"Really? Thanks… Knew I could trust you." Naruto beamed at Kakashi before rushing of to get his food from Sasuke, leaving Kakashi pondering to himself.


	2. Something in the dark

**Author's note:** I'm not dead and neither is this story. Without further ado here is chapter two...

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_**Trust**_

**by Jordgubbe**

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Chapter Two:

Something in the dark

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He was running. The only sound that could be heard in the dark forest was his own harsh breathing as he blindly stumbled onward through the thick branches and the inconvenient roots that lay in his way. The young man knew that he couldn't stop. Couldn't give up. Something horrible would happen if he stopped now. No matter how fast he ran or how long a distance, the feeling of being followed wouldn't go away. It clung to him. No twigs were snapping and no harsh breathing from any pursuers could be heard, yet he knew that he was being followed, that someone was watching him. He could feel eyes on his back.

He didn't dare cast a glance behind himself. He knew it would be futile. There would be no one there to see, no masked enemy and no unmasked monster. The follower was moving in the shadows, swiftly and on light feet. It was faster than him. It could not be heard and it could not be seen but he knew. He knew it was following him. Taunting and playing with him. Waiting for him to show weakness before it swooped down and consumed him. He knew the rules. He had played this game before.

The air around him got colder and he couldn't stop his body from shivering. It was painful. Painful to drag gulps pf fresh air into his exhausted lungs. It burned but he needed the oxygen.

There! He'd seen a face in the darkness. In a blink of an eye it was gone. He changed direction, away from the spot where he'd seen the face. Maybe he really could outrun it.

A root made him stumble and he cursed his ignorance. He needed to be more observant about his surroundings.

A skeletal hand clamped down on his shoulder hard and he screamed.

He screamed himself awake as he sat up in his bed, the sweaty sheets clinging to his body. Iruka tried to calm his irate heartbeat and his heavy breathing. It was like he really had been running in the woods. _It was only a nightmare_, he tried to tell himself. _The same one you have had every night for a week now Iruka-boy._

The dream kept coming back to him. Night after night after night. It was like it was trying to tell him something, a message, but he just couldn't figure out what. It was frustrating and it was making him loose serious amounts of sleep. Sleep that he needed.

His insomniac had started to show in the way he interacted with those around him. Lately, the kind hearted teacher had been snappy and sarcastic. He kept pushing those closest to him away. And for what reason? That he was afraid of the dark? There was no way he could explain that to his friends and coworkers. They wouldn't understand, Mizuki had said. They would laugh and make fun of him.

The brunette untangled the blanket and stood on shaky legs. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told him that it was almost time to get up anyway. Today he hadn't woken up in the middle of the night, he'd actually gotten a few extra hours of sleep. Not that it showed. The teacher still felt very tired, almost exhausted but he would make it through this day. He had bills to pay and an obligation to Mizuki. When everything went to hell you still needed to do the little things or everything would fall apart. He knew that.

Walking into the small but homely kitchenette he opened the refrigerator. Cool air danced around his legs and he shivered, remembering that part of the dream vividly. The milk bottle was almost empty and he made a mental note to go shopping after his classes were out.

He decided to eat a light breakfast. These days Iruka couldn't really call himself hungry. Quite the opposite. He seemed nauseous as soon as he tried to eat anything and yet he was not ill. He had no other symptoms. No stomach ache or anything of that sort. He just felt ill whenever he ate. It couldn't be the taste, everything tasted bland to him these days and the texture of the food varied with what he ate. He didn't have any allergies. At least none that he knew about.

Yet another thing that was wrong with him. Why did Mizuki stay with him? Why not leave him for someone better? It made no sense. Mizuki deserved better than a lover who kept waking up in the dead of the night, screaming himself hoarse. He deserved someone who could whole heartedly compliment him for his cooking and there was a constant wall between Iruka and his friends. They had mostly stopped calling. The brunette didn't have any interesting hobbies and he couldn't possibly be good in bed. Not with the way Mizuki always rolled out of bed to take a shower as soon as they were done. Why didn't Mizuki leave?

Iruka had been on the brink of suggesting that Mizuki could leave and that there would be no hard feelings between the two of them but he was so afraid of being alone. Of standing there by himself just like when he was little. The insecure failure that he was. Mizuki was the only one who loved him and some days it felt like he was the one who kept Iruka whole. Who kept him from doing something incredible stupid. From kept him to take the coward's way out. Why did everything have to be so hard? Iruka was not a bad person, was he?

Flinging the rest of the sandwich he had been nibbled on in the trashcan he moved into the bathroom to get ready for the day. It couldn't do to have salty wet trails down your cheeks when you taught children how to throw a shuriken.

____________

"My father wont stand for this!" the biting voice of the young Hyuuga echoed loudly in the teachers lounge.

Iruka sighed where he stood, his back against the wall. "Hanabi, this has gone too far. You can not harass Kenji like this. It's wrong and I know the other teachers have been talking to you about this before, as have I. You don't listen. Something had to be done."

"The strong will always kill the weak! That's the way it has always been. It's a natural part of a food chain."

"As I seriously suspect you wont be eating Kenji anytime soon I don't see how this is relevant. He is a fellow ninja from Konoha. We take care of each other. We stand united. We do not drop each other's pants in front of a horde of the opposite sex and we definitely do not laugh or belittle each other". He was proud of himself. He had managed to keep an even level of his voice. Usually he would have been shouting at the end of his little speech but it would only had aggravated the situation further.

"If Kenji can't keep up with the taijutsu style of the Hyuuga's he only have himself to blame." The girl actually sneered when she was finished pouting.

Iruka felt like banging his head into the wall. At least that would be less painful than talking sense into Hanabi. The knock on the door saved him from retorting anything he would regret. Opening the door he could see that the Hyuuga clan leader had arrived. "Ah, Hyuuga-san." He bowed before stepping aside to let the man in.

"I hear there is a problem with my daughter sensei?" The last word came out in a clipped tone as the father stepped into the room, pale eyes not leaving the young girl for a second.

All the aristocratic air had vanished from Hanabi's features. She was no longer sneering and she didn't meet his father's stare.

"Ah, yes. Hanabi has been tormenting one of her classmates for a while now. All attempts to talk reason with her have been proved futile."

The Hyuuga clan leader didn't take his eyes of his youngest daughter. "You mean she does not listen to her instructors? I will make sure this does not happen again Iruka-sensei. You can be sure of that."

Hanabi sucked in a breath and there was something in the way her father worded himself that made Iruka feel uneasy. "Thank you for your understanding."

"Was there something else? Is she doing well in classes or does her blatant disrespect carry on into the lessons taught as well?"

Iruka felt very uneasy about the whole situation and he was glad that he did not have to lie to the man."No, she's doing very well in class. Top grades and her taijutsu is like a work of art. She is unbeaten inside the dojo."

"Hmph. I see".

"Yes well, thank you for taking your time." Iruka was starting to regret ever calling him. There was something in the way Hanabi's father kept looking at his daugther that made the alarm bells inside Iruka's head go off. It was the same look Hanabi had when she bullied Kenji.

"A parent should always be concerned in the well being of their child. If the child is unruly, actions must be taken to correct such behavior."

"I agree but do not be too hard on your daughter. She's young." The situation was too bizarre for words. At first Iruka had been annoyed with Hanabi and her arrogance, now he just felt sorry for her.

"I'll decide just how hard I'll be. Come Hanabi. We have much to talk about." With those final words the two Hyuuga's glided out of the room, leaving Iruka to ponder if he'd done the right thing.

He was on the brink to call "we have child care laws here!" after the man but it would be silly and stupid and petty. He was a clan leader and both Neji and Hinata had turned out to be excellent ninjas and even better people at the end so he must be doing something right. Right?

___________

Classes had ended and shopping had went of without a hitch. The nice lady with the vegetable stand had even given him a bag of apples free of extra charge. She said he looked like he needed them more than she did. Eccentric but very kind. Iruka smiled where he stood, with the bag of apples in one hand and his keys dangling in the other. The keys rattled as he pushed them into the keyhole and turned the lock.

"Finally! What took you so long? I need to eat you know." There stood Mizuki, in the door opening with a smile plastered on his face. It made Iruka feel young and inexperienced again. Mizuki always knew what to say unlike himself who always seemed to put his foot in his mouth.

"Hey there," he greeted his lover with a gentle peek on the lips. A hesitantly smile tugging at his mouth. "I had a teacher's conference today and that's why I was running late."

Mizuki stepped aside to let Iruka in into the apartment.

"Oh really? With whom?" Mizuki was clearly interested in his day. Even though he hadn't done anything exciting.

"Hanabi. She was being mean to Kenji again. I had to intervene before things went out of hand." He walked into the kitchenette, Mizuki hot on his track.

"So you ran to her father and squealed on her?" Mizuki sank down in one of the chair that adjourned the kitchenette and stretched his feet out in front of himself.

"I didn't run and everything is solved now," Iruka answered hotly. He wasn't in the mood to explain himself right now. Not when he was still second guessing himself about the whole matter. Guilt gnawed at him and he sighed where he stood. Apples on the cutting board in front of him. They weren't distraction enough.

"Hey, no need to go all snappy with me. If you need a tampon I'm sure you know where they are since this is your house and all."

Even without turning around and looking at him, Iruka knew that Mizuki was smiling. "If you had any idea how the male body worked you would know that I don't need any tampons."

"Rawr" Mizuki laughed. "What's wrong with you today Iruka-boy? You're all testy. Bad day at work?"

"You're right. I'm sorry. It's just... I haven't been sleeping nearly enough and I really am sorry. You know I love you. I don't intend to be snappy it just..."

"You always did have a problem with your anger. But you wouldn't shout at me Iruka, would you?" Mizuki's voice had gone low and Iruka sucked in a breath. This was not good. "You wouldn't act like a little prissy bitch with me, would you?" he asked as he stepped up behind Iruka.

Iruka tensed."No. No, Mizuki. I wouldn't." The hand that held the knife was so unsteady Iruka was afraid he might cut himself if he tried to cut the apples in this state. He put it down and faced Mizuki. "You know I wouldn't."

"I do?"

"Yes..." Seeing those cold eyes made Iruka regret ever turning around. This was all his fault! Why did he have to be all temperamental around Mizuki? He knew he didn't like it. Not one bit.

"I don't think so. Why do you keep testing me Iruka? Why?" Mizuki whispered mere inches away from his face.

"I'm sorry..." Iruka whispered back in a small voice.

The blow came quickly but this time Iruka knew what to expect. He flinched but didn't duck. It would only make Mizuki even angrier if he got out of the way. The blow struck his left cheek and a ringing noise filled his ears. Iruka sniffed.

A knock on the door made him jump and Mizuki swore. "Ask who it is!" he hissed in Iruka's face before dragging him up onto his feet again and pushing him out into the hallway.

"W-Who is it?" Iruka called out, trembling where he stood. Was it a neighbor that had heard the impact of the hit or was it just someone with really bad timing?

"Kakashi Hatake!" The deep voice of the higher ranking ninja answered.

Iruka's head whipped around to meet Mizuki's glance and his surprised one was met with Mizuki's frightened one. "Go on! Ask what he want!" Mizuki said, this time in a more pleasant voice than before.

"Eh, what can I do for you?" Iruka called back through the door. This time looking at the copycat ninja in the peek hole. He stood just outside the door with a bored expression on his face, at least Iruka thought it was a bored expression no telling with that mask on, and with his hands in his pockets. No disgusting book in sight. He wondered what that meant.

"I just need to talk to you." Need. Not want.

Iruka glanced back at Mizuki. He wouldn't like this. Not at all.

"Look, I feel really silly standing outside your door shouting like this. Why don't you just let me inside so that we can talk?"

Something flashed over Mizuki's eyes and he made a run for it. "You talk to the deranged copy ninja, I'll be back later tonight!" And with that he took a not so very gracious dive out the window.

Iruka opened the door.

"What happened to your face and wasn't there someone in here with you a minute ago?"

"I tripped and no, there wasn't anyone here. You're mistaken." Iruka was an exceptionally bad liar. Kakashi probably thought so too because he just kept staring at Iruka like he'd grown a second head.

"You... tripped?"

"Yes, and now that you know my shameful secret I'll ask you to keep it to yourself. Ninjas don't just trip. Now why don't you tell me why you're here?"

"You said it yourself".

"Excuse me?" Iruka answered. Was there a part of this conversation that Iruka was missing? A part that only existed in Kakashi-land? Deranged, was it?

"You said ninjas don't just trip and that's why I'm here." Kakashi crossed his arms in front of his chest. A very unlike Kakashi thing to do. Not that Iruka knew what was typical for him or anything... Since he definitely wasn't watching him. Nope, no watching the crazy people.

"But you didn't know I was going to say I tripped until you showed up here." Iruka pointed out.

"Yes, I would."

"You a seer now?" Iruka asked, starting to get a little impatient with the whole conversation.

"Maybe. I know someone is hurting you and I'm going to find out who it is."

"No one is hurting me!"

"Naruto sent me because he knew something is wrong. When even Naruto notice that anything is wrong, things are _really_ wrong. I talked to those buddies of yours. The spilled the beans. For some reason they don't seem to like this Mizuki very much. Now why is that?"

"Mizuki has been nothing but good to me! I deserve this. I really do," Iruka sniffed desperately. "You have to understand. He's not doing anything bad. You have to understand." The tears swelled up and started running down his face in floods. He tried to wipe at them with his hands but Kakashi stepped close and wrapped his arms around him, if not a bit hesitantly. He smelled of freshly cut grass and he had the courtesy not to say anything as Iruka wept. Not silently like in the movies but in a loud and a hysterical tone. Kakashi didn't seem to mind.

...tbc


	3. Disaster is only a call away

**Author's note:** Here is chapter three as promised. A little longer than the two first but I don't think anyone will be complaining.

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_**Trust**_

**by Jordgubbe**

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Chapter Three:

Disaster is only a call away

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Time passed just like it did every time things seemed to get a little out of hand. After all, time stopped for no one. Not even for Umino Iruka, no matter how much he wished it to.

The hysterical crying had reached a point that if it were to get any louder – someone would become deaf. At least that's what it felt like. He'd sniveled and keened, hiccuped and screamed. All in Kakashi's ear. The Jounin didn't seem to mind and if he did, he hid the fact very well. Or maybe Iruka couldn't see his disapproval through all the tears that still clutched to his eyelashes. Unsure of himself, he wiped at his eyes one last time. Kakashi politely pretended not to see.

He was unsure if he should feel embarrassed that Kakashi had been hushing and whispering soft words in his ear, just the way you did to a hysterical child. Right about now Iruka just felt hollow and empty on the inside and he didn't feel up to give any scathing comments to the older man just to regain his dignity. It was if as all his pent up frustration, self loathing and sorrow had followed his tears on the way out.

A headache started forming and Iruka sighed. Something he did a lot lately. The situation had started getting out of hand. It really took the cake of bizarre situations Iruka had been in. Everything had happened so fast – too fast. One minute Mizuki was mad at him for something that Iruka had done and in the next he was being cradled by Hatake Kakashi, the copycat ninja while crying his eyes out. This had quickly turned into one of _those days_. He should have listened to his gut feeling and stayed in bed.

While Iruka knew that if this had been any other day and he wouldn't have felt so faint – he would have blushed. The Jounin however didn't seem to find the situation awkward at all. In fact, he looked like he always did, with that bored expression plastered on his face. Like he comforted crying chuunins on a regular basis.

A minute of utter silence passed and Iruka couldn't take it anymore. How could Kakashi stand there in the unlit hallway, holding him as if nothing was wrong when everything that could go wrong had?

As soon as Kakashi left after he'd gotten whatever it was he wanted from Iruka, Mizuki would come back. He would come back and he would be mad and not just a little mad but mad enough to hurt Iruka again. He knew that somehow Mizuki would see this as his fault. It was his fault that Naruto noticed that something was wrong and it was his fault that Naruto was a blabber mouth and couldn't keep things to himself. It was his fault that Naruto cared about him enough to get outside help, even if Kakashi wouldn't have been Iruka's first choice. It was his fault. All of it.

"So..." Iruka heard himself saying in a monotone voice, "What happens now?"

Kakashi loosened his grip on Iruka and stepped back half a step, giving him some breathing room. Mostly so that he could look him in the eyes, Iruka thought as Kakashi's piercing gaze settled on his face. "I think it's time you told me how this all started."

Iruka didn't want to talk about it and he sunk in on himself, hunching his back and turning his face away. He fixed his gaze on the coat rack. It couldn't stare back with judging eyes, or worse, with pitying ones so Iruka found it safe to look at it while he talked. "I- I don't want to talk about it."

This time Kakashi was the one to sigh, It irritated Iruka. What right did he have to sigh? Iruka was the one wronged! "Look," Kakashi started and if Iruka didn't know better it looked like Kakashi was at a loss of words. "I know this is hard but you have to talk about it. It will make you feel better. Maybe not now or tomorrow but it will make you feel better. Trust me."

"What do you know?" Iruka hissed. "This is none of your business and I'm horrified that you find it so. I don't care what Naruto told you. You have no right to go snooping around in other people's business. I'm happy with Mizuki and with the way things are."

"Are you really?" Kakashi asked. Skepticism clear in his voice. He probably looked skeptic as well but Iruka wouldn't know since he still stared at the coat rack, refusing to meet Kakashi's gaze.

"I- Out!" Iruka roared. He might not have dared to shout at Mizuki but Kakashi, he had no trouble of getting angry at. "Get out! Out! Out! Out!"

By now he was so angry and frustrated that he didn't care if Kakashi looked at him with pitying eyes, he just wanted the man gone. Iruka's head whipped around and he stared at the copycat ninja with as much loathing as he could muster. Kakashi looked back with any emotions devoid upon his face. He just stood there with his hands in his front pockets, looking extremely bored. Loosing his face like this in front of the deranged Jounin was not a new experience but even though it happened on a fairly regular basis it still made him feel horrible.

He was about to start screaming and raging again when the Jounin spoke up."Sure, I'll get out but I just want you to know that I'll be watching Mizuki. I'll be watching him real close. If I catch him stepping just one tiny little foot out of line, I'll have a little talk with him and make sure he wont be bothering anyone else ever again." Kakashi stepped closer to the front door, never dropping his gaze from Iruka's face.

Iruka huffed. "Are you threatening me?"

A laugh bubbled out of the Jounin's throat and it sounded annoyingly enough, very pleasant. "I'm threatening Mizuki. Be sure to give him my message." And with that Kakashi was gone as well, too quick for Iruka to follow.

He slammed his front door close and stalked into the kitchenette. That man really knew how to make his blood boil. '_I'll be watching Mizuki_,' just what did he mean by that? What sort of perverse satisfaction did he get out of stalking them? Why couldn't he just leave them alone? Nothing was wrong. Iruka was happy with they way things were. It was blatant for everyone to see so why couldn't Kakashi see it? He who had better eyesight than everyone else with his Sharingan.

The knife sliced through the apples with ease and Iruka went back to his task of making a salad. He got to the tomatoes when he remembered his nightmare. The feeling of being watched constantly, of running but never being able to escape. Of helplessness and despair. Was this what his dream had been warning him about?

He walked those few steps over to the window and drew the curtains closed. Sure, there was no one there to be seen and yes, this was probably a little more than silly but it made him feel better. Iruka went back to cutting his tomatoes in a much lighter spirit.

The phone rang when he was halfway through his salad. Not knowing who it could be since Mizuki had destroyed his caller ID advice he walked into the hallway. He held the half eaten plate in one hand. The caller ID device that Iruka had gotten, had sat there polite as you please one day when Mizuki had picked it up, ripped of the cables and thrown it into the wall with all the strength he could muster in a fit of rage. Little plastic pieces could be find all over the apartment for weeks after the incident. Iruka hadn't bothered with getting another one, knowing it would meet a similar fate.

He swallowed another bite from his plate and picked up the telephone. "Hello, Iruka speaking."

"Iruka! You can never guess what happened this morning."

"Oh Izumo." Izumo sounded awfully happy for some reason. Iruka suspected he knew why. "No, what happened? Did you win the lottery?"

"I might as well have. Hatake Kakashi came knocking on my door just minutes after I got home from my mission. He had a lot of questions about Mizuki."

Questions? Iruka had a very bad feelings about this. "What did you tell him?" Yes, just what did the copy ninja thought he knew? Izumo the little rat had no problem with telling anyone who wanted to hear what an awful person he thought Mizuki was. And sometimes he told people who didn't want to hear. Like Iruka.

"The truth," came the short reply.

"Your truth or the real truth?" Iruka snapped back. No wonder the copy ninja came snooping around here if Izumo had told Kakashi half of the things he told others. Once he'd been confronted by an old lady who asked him if it was true that Mizuki was a blood sucking alien.

"Oh, that's rich coming from you. 'I tripped' my ass!"

"What did you tell him?" Iruka hissed into the telephone. "Just what the fuck did you tell him?"

"I told him that Mizuki is always manhandling you. I told him that you've stopped sleeping and that you hardly ever eat anymore. I told him that Mizuki is making you turn your back on your friends. And I'm right! He is!"

Iruka sank down on the floor with the telephone still pressed against his ear. The air had gone out of him, the plate next to him forgotten.

"Iruka... Hello?"

"Is that what you think? That Mizuki is making me turn against you?" Iruka whispered. "That is not true! It's _you_ who's leaving _me_. You never call and when you do it's always so that you can tell me what an ass you think Mizuki is. I don't want to hear it. I don't."

"The truth can hurt," Izumo said in an equal quiet voice.

"You're lying, both to me and to yourself."

"It's you who is lying to yourself Iruka" Izumo said gently. "The relationship you have with Mizuki is not healthy. I can see that you're not happy."

"What do you know? I'm-"

"What do I don't know? I'm not blind! I can see that your relationship with Mizuki is tearing you apart."

Harsh words that stung. Iruka didn't quite know what to say. The front door opened and in stepped Mizuki. "I have to go," Iruka said in as much of a normal tone he could muster. It was no idea to whisper since Mizuki could see him sitting on the floor with the telephone. "Talk to you later. Bye."

"Wait! Iru-"

He didn't wait for Izumo to finish that sentence, he just hung up and turned toward his lover. "Hey you."

"What did he want?" Mizuki asked in an accusing tone. He crossed his arms in front of his chest where he stood in the door opening. Straight to the point then as usual. There was no beating around the bush with Mizuki.

"What did who want?" Iruka asked, still feeling tense from his conversation with Izumo.

"Santa Clause!" Mizuki sneered. "Of course I mean Kakashi. Or have you had any other high ranking ninja in here while I was out?"

If he told Mizuki that Kakashi was going to keep an eye on him Mizuki would probably be mad but it was not fair to not warn him that a deranged Jounin was going to start stalking him. It was best to be honest."Oh. Kakashi asked you to stop hurting me or he would hurt you. His words, not mine." Iruka studied Mizuki's face a bit warily. You never knew how your lover would react after hearing a statement like that.

"What? What did you tell him?" A funny expression on his face, Mizuki walked those last steps over to Iruka and sat down opposite of him on the floor. He reached for Iruka's hands so he could hold them. Iruka didn't really want to sit there on the hallway floor, holding hands but he also didn't want to make it worse by letting go; so he let Mizuki hold on.

"I told him to get out and Kakashi said he'd be watching you." It was stupid and childish.

Mizuki however seemed to take the threat to heart. His face whitened and his grip on Iruka's hands tightened. "He said that? He will be watching me?"

"That's what he said but you don't have anything to worry about. I mean you're not doing anything wrong." The attempt to assure Mizuki was blatantly ignored.

Mizuki mumbled under his breath while he kept casting nervous glances out the bedroom window. If it hadn't been so serious Iruka would have laughed. The blue curtains in the kitchenette were still closed and he would make sure they stayed that way. Kakashi could stalk all he wanted but Iruka would be damned if he made it easy for him.

"Why don't we move into the kitchen and I'll make us some tea. How does that sound?" He asked Mizuki gently. Having dealt with nervous first years at the academy, Iruka was quite confident he could calm Mizuki down. Not that Mizuki looked like he was going to have a nervous meltdown anytime soon but the mumbling was not a good sign. Tea would make everything better. "Let's go!"

Mizuki only looked at him. "Are you sure he said that?"

"Hm?" Looking up from the teapot he'd taken out he met Mizuki's gaze.

"Kakashi. Are you sure he said that he was going to start following me around?"

"Well, he said he was going to keep an eye on you. I assumed that it was he meant." Iruka tried to explain. The flowery teapot went on the table after Iruka had started up the water.

"Right. I think I'll be going home now."

"You don't want any tea then?"

"No. I'll be back later tonight. I just need to do something before Kakashi starts following me around for real."

"Like what? Hide some dead bodies that you have laying around in your apartment?" Iruka joked. Mizuki however turned even whiter. A feat Iruka would have thought impossible.

"I'll be going now. Make sure to lock the door while I'm gone."

The chuunin seriously doubted that Kakashi would come barging in into the apartment and even if he did a locked door wouldn't stop him. But he went ahead and locked it after Mizuki anyway. Just as a precaution.

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"Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka turned at the call of his name. Naruto, the blond bundle of joy that he had come to like very much rushed toward him across the market place, enthusiastically waving a plastic bag in the air. He had his customary tooth paste commercial smile plastered on his face and as he neared his sensei Iruka noted that he was scrutinized carefully. "What happened to your face?"

An extreme feeling of deja vu, Iruka decided to lie. Again. You would have thought he would know better by now. "I was in a bar fight." The instant the words left his mouth he regretted them. Who was he kidding? Naruto knew what was up. Kakashi had said so himself.

"I don't think so. Kakashi wont tell me who it is, but I know that someone is being mean to you." Naruto moved in closer so he could whisper. "If you tell me who it is, I'll go over and rasengan his ass."

"I'm sure that wont be necessary." How could Naruto always manage to put a smile on his face no matter how dark the situation? He idly glanced around himself just in case anyone had heard Naruto's last words. The villagers went about their own business but that didn't mean that some of them were listening in on the conversation. He spotted another Jounin sensei across the market place staring at him. Asuma was it? The Jounin instructor for team 10.

"So Kakashi has taken care of the guy already?" Naruto pressed. The blond started chewing on his lower lip.

"No one has taken care of anyone and let's hope it stay that way."

"So the mysterious asshole is still bullying you?" Naruto asked loudly. The Chuunin glanced about himself wildly, afraid that many a man had heard him. Very much like when his mother had taken him out to shop for underwear. The other customers in the shop had been very discreet but he just knew they were staring at him when he wasn't looking.

"No one is bullying me." This conversation was pointless. It was impossible to reason with Naruto. That boy was like a rock. A very unbendable rock. In a stroke of genius Iruka decided how to make Naruto forget about the 'mysterious asshole' as he put it. "Let's go for ramen. My treat!"

Unsurprisingly it worked. "Okay! I want miso ramen."

"That can be arranged."

Five minutes later they were sitting at the ramen restaurant. Iruka was nursing a bowl of hot miso ramen just like Naruto was but while this was to be the only one for Iruka, Naruto was only getting started. _Thank God I got my paycheck yesterday_, he thought to himself as he watched Naruto literally pour the bowl's content into his mouth.

It was a beautiful start of the day and not many people were out yet. Iruka, Naruto and a woman with a red and white dress were the only costumers in the ramen restaurant as of now. Naruto chatted on about the usual thing; his team. Sasuke was being a showoff again and Sakura could do nothing wrong. Ah, young love. So uncomplicated yet so very confusing.

It seemed like the young lady didn't return Naruto's affection but Iruka assured the rasengan user that she probably would with time. And with a fair amount of growing up. He also assured Naruto that it was unlikely for Sakura and Sasuke to get together since they were so very unlike each other. What did they have in common when you thought about it? Naruto shinned up at that and Iruka decided not to continue on with his speech about young love. For really, what had Sakura and Naruto in common? And really, how often did a married couple meet as childhood friends outside fairy tales? He thought it was very wise of him not to mention the last part.

As he spoke he glanced up and noticed that the woman were watching them. Maybe she hadn't liked his inspired speech. Most women were hopelessly romantic after all. She took another sip of her drink and Iruka flashed her a smile. She smiled back and all was well in the world. He went back to listening to Naruto's exciting and slightly exaggerated tale about his last mission. It would keep him occupied for a while.

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Mizuki hadn't returned the night Kakashi had come threatening him. Nor did he show up the night after. To say that Iruka was starting to get a little worried would be a major understatement. He'd called his lover's apartment but no one had picked up the phone. When he'd walked past the apartment after having gotten his morning shopping done he saw that the apartment was dark. He'd even knocked on the door, knowing that it would be futile.

He sighed. Naruto didn't notice, happily chatting on about how Kiba of all people had helped Naruto paint cows. Which takes us to where we are now. Iruka had been assigned guard duty and babysitter all rolled up into one. In a particularly nasty prank Inuzuka Kiba and Uzumaki Naruto had painted a couple of horror-stricken cows. They now spotted blue spots randomly distributed all over their bodies. It was his job to make sure they got all the paint out.

Naruto had been early, as had Iruka and they were waiting for Kiba to turn up so that they could start. Not Iruka's idea of fun but someone had to do it. He'd been the unlucky guy.

"So, how's it going with the mysterious asshole?" Naruto asked in a tone that he might as well could have used when asking people about the weather.

"Good," He said, thinking that he really didn't want to dignify that with an answer but had to anyway.

"Kakashi got him then?" Naruto beamed at his former instructor and that's when it hit him. Mizuki gone – not answering his phone and not being at home. Either Kakashi had gotten to him or Mizuki had fled in the dead of the night. Iruka couldn't decided which option he liked best. Or liked least as it were. Both options were pretty bad.

He didn't answer Naruto's question immediately. Instead he pondered on the topic at hand. A ninja of the Leaf did not just attack his fellow comrades. Not without provocation and a hefty amount of consequence to deal with afterwards. The felony of murdering another citizen was punishable with death if you were lucky. The unlucky ones were turned over to Morino Ibiki. Iruka seriously doubted that Kakashi had gotten to Mizuki. Unless he knew a very good hiding place for the body.

A hysterical laugh threatened to escape but he managed to stop it. Naruto would probably be a little more than alarmed if he were to start laughing like a madman. Students tended to panic themselves when the instructors lost it. The snap of a twig brought him back to reality and both Naruto and he turned to welcome Kiba and his ever present companion Akamaru.

"All right boys. It's time to get the paint of the cows-" Here there were sniggers but Iruka pretended not to hear. "And for you to think about your actions and how they affect others. There's no time but the present so let's start before the sun goes down."

He motioned for the boys to start and leaned against a tree wondering what he possibly could have done to piss off the Hokage enough to force him to do this.

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The next time he saw Kakashi was at the ramen restaurant. Feeling that he should get some dinner into himself before he headed over to the Hokage to report the situation, he walked into the restaurant. Being void of any customers other than himself he thought that it would be a peaceful meal. No screaming children or arguing lovers. How very wrong he was.

As he took a his usual seat at the back of the restaurant he ordered what he always ate. Miso ramen. So far so good. A few minutes into the meal the bane of his existence strolled in casually and took a seat next to Iruka without uttering a word. Thinking that the silent treatment was a much better improvement from the last time when he'd threatened Mizuki, Iruka didn't comment on Kakashi's presence. Maybe if he ignored him, he would go away?

They sat like that until Iruka had finished his meal. Kakashi was the first one to speak. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

"Only one thing – What did you do to Mizuki?" Iruka stared down his empty bowl, not wanting to meet his eyes. Tempers would run high if he were to look Kakashi in the eyes. He knew himself that well and honesty, he didn't want to start a fight and he definitely didn't want to apologize for yelling at the man.

"I haven't done anything to Mizuki. I haven't even seen him since Friday. What happened to him?" Kakashi looked surprised but it was hard to tell with the mask on.

And thus Iruka was forced to tell Kakashi that Mizuki had been missing for three days. No one had heard anything from him. No one had seen him. It was like if he had gone up in smoke.

"Are you serious?" Kakashi laughed.

"This is no laughing matter! He's probably lying in some ditch somewhere." The last words came out in a much more snappier voice than he had intended. But what was Kakashi to expect?

"I seriously doubt that." Kakashi was still laughing. How he could find it funny, Iruka had no idea. Kakashi must have noticed that Iruka was getting angrier by the second for he said, "I'll ask around. See if anyone's seen him. How about that?"

"I- Thank you." Well, he hadn't expected t_hat_. Kakashi had a very annoying personality but he could be nice sometimes. Sometimes being the keyword here. "That would be nice. I'd appreciate it."

"Sure. If I had any abusive stray lovers running around I'd want to find them as well. Who knows what damaged he could do to others?"

Iruka glared at him. The thought about Kakashi being an honest and nice man was instantly taken back.


End file.
